R. Kelly is awaiting sentencing after his conviction in the abuse trial. The public prosecutor’s office has now announced their request.
R. Kelly (55) is to go to prison for more than 25 years after being convicted of sex trafficking and extortion – that is what the New York prosecutor is demanding. As reported, among other things, by “Billboard”, the authority has now informed the judge of this. The singer “avoided punishment for almost 30 years,” the statement said, and now he must be held accountable.
The allegations against R. Kelly have been around for many years. In September last year he was convicted on nine counts related to allegations that he abused and exploited minors. The former music star plans to appeal the verdict, according to Billboard, but apparently not before hearing the sentence on June 29.
“Danger to the Public”
In the motion, filed Wednesday (June 8), prosecutors asked Judge Ann M. Donnelly to put the 55-year-old behind bars for perhaps the rest of his life, according to the report. “Put simply, the defendant’s crimes were calculated, methodical and part of a longstanding pattern of using his megastar platform and deep network to gain access to teenagers, many of whom were particularly vulnerable, and then exploit them for his personal gain and his sexual gratification.”
Prosecutors also cited the risk that R. Kelly would commit more crimes if released. There is “little doubt that the defendant, if given the opportunity to re-offend, would do so,” prosecutors wrote in a statement to Billboard. “He poses a serious threat to the public.” He had “shown neither remorse nor respect for the law”. R. Kelly’s legal team, who is due to answer in another trial this summer, now has the opportunity to respond to the prosecutor’s statement.
